Using an array of resources from primary sources such as local newspapers and secondary sources written both then and now, Kierner presents an in-depth, well-researched and persuasive thesis for the beginning and eventual continuation of a cultural mind-set that has remained fairly intact since the 19th-century. Even with its academic presentation, this should be enjoyed by readers who appreciate disaster histories.

Crucet’s well-written essays are entertaining and accessible, without letting readers or the author herself off the hook for reflecting on and addressing cultural issues. Strongly recommended for all readers.

Provocative in its review of and reflections on race and racism amid continuing de facto segregation, this work argues that personal identity does not exist as a checked box. It promises to appeal to readers willing at least to consider unlearning race so as to imagine a future without it and advance his vision of a multigenerational transformation of social repair.

A fascinating, lyrical, wide-ranging work sharing thoughts on past and present that will appeal to a wide range of readers, including those interested in memoirs and reflections on the world around us.

That many of the authors expand on the topic of Maria to include historical background as well as future speculations and possible solutions adds an extra dimension that enhances the book’s relevancy. For specialists, academic libraries, and those interested in a broader and deeper understanding of the impact of Maria on Puerto Rico.

Although the work is occasionally dense owing to the minutiae of German politics, such details are integral to Longerich’s assertion of Hitler’s centrality to all decisions, such as the Holocaust. While some may question the need for another Hitler biography, readers and scholars of 20th-century history will welcome this one.

Perry’s uplifting and often lyrical meditation on living invites readers to delve into their self and particularly into the complicated categories of mother, parent, African American, and human. Highly recommended.

While the editors have written their own books on the subject and are active participants in modern indigenous movements, this contextual anthology gives recognition and voice to the many who participated in the #NoDAPL protests. Highly recommended for casting light on a landmark cultural movement.

While a solid primer for the LGBTQ+ movement, this should not be taken as a comprehensive look as it tends to focus almost exclusively on white members of the LGBTQ+ community, with few exceptions, notably Marsha P. Johnson. Still, this will be a good place to start for readers curious about LGBTQ+ rights throughout history, as well as the movement’s artwork and icons.

Primarily recommended for Vernon’s existing fan base, this candid memoir will also be of interest for those who have experienced emotional, physical, or sexual violence, and who are seeking forceful encouragement toward self-empowerment and self-expression.

This sobering book is indeed needed to help individuals better understand how information can be massaged to produce any sort of message desired. Recommended for general political science and current affairs collections.

With the exception of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s The Displaced, no similar recent collection of evocative reflections on the migration experience exists. This will appeal to students and general readers, if only as a starting point for further exploration

Through the stories of individuals, often from varied neighborhoods, businesses, and corporations, Lemann makes these experiences come alive. Readers can use this insightful business history to guide their forecasts

Drawing on broad reading and visits to campuses across the country, Tough’s work offers an indictment of American society and political structures and persuasively argues that universities must fulfill the American commitment to equality of opportunity

Readers interested in American Indian history or education will find important insights into the significance of the Witness Blanket and its component parts. Also consider the companion documentary, Picking Up the Pieces

Based on six years of research and with a fast-paced writing style that interweaves multiple stories, this illuminating work on the exceedingly influential Koch and his company will be welcomed by all readers of business or politics. Leonard does for Koch what Andrew Sorkin’s Too Big To Fail did for the 2008 financial crisis

Following after Sam Quinones’s Dreamland, which surveyed the ravages of prescription pills and black tar heroin, this book will assist policymakers, activists, and general readers in understanding better how to respond to the drug crisis that is only more intractable now

This is not exactly a how-to guide or a toolkit, despite the powerful tools designed to encourage grassroots activism, including media links and recommended readings in the final chapters. Instead, Jean-Pierre shows how and why we all need to participate in democracy and what is at stake if we don’t.

While the book is difficult to read at times owing to the details of sexual violence, it may be the most important sports title of the year. Pesta’s in-depth reporting reveals the entire scope of Nassar’s history, and the many who enabled his behavior. Highly recommended.

This easy-to-read academic book will appeal to those interested in World War II intelligence and atomic history; a strong pairing with Sean Kean’s The Bastard Brigade: The True Story of the Renegade Scientists and Spies Who Sabotaged the Nazi Atomic Bomb.

With a range of dedicated voices and a clear commitment to exploring feminism and political activism with justice and lived experience at its core, this engrossing anthology would make an excellent addition to public, academic, and school library shelves.

This group portrait of pioneering leaders in the field is recommended reading for undergraduate and graduate students, professional academics, and individuals with an interest in anthropology, cultural anthropology, and history.

Paxson’s work offers a counterpoint to titles such a Anna Bikont’s The Crime and the Silence, which detailed how neighbors viciously turned on one another during World War II. Readers interested in World War II France, and anyone seeking reassurance that good exists in the world will appreciate this heartbreaking and hopeful text.

While centering on a specific narrative, this book serves as much more than an overview of the NMAAHC and will not solely appeal to museum curators or academics, as Bunch addresses the ways in which public spaces must be disrupted and dehierarchized to change cultural narratives.

Pointing the way to future activism against repressive policing, Cobbina’s instructive details and enlightening insights will draw in scholars and general readers concerned with ending police killings of black people with impunity.

This provocative work is best suited to readers with a strong interest in true crime and its historical roots. Though lacking the rigor and documentation of an academic work, it manages to create an original and bold contribution to the genre.

With Stamped from the Beginning, Kendi proved himself a first-rate historian. Here, his willingness to turn the lens on himself marks him as a courageous activist, leading the way to a more equitable society.

An engaging read for both teens and adults interested in satellite remote sensing and other technologies as well as archaeology. They will learn some intriguing things about civilizations in the process.

Part history lesson, part rodeo diary, this will find appeal across a broad audience and be of particular interest to fans of rodeo culture, Hawaiian history, and the early American West. [See Prepub Alert, 11/12/18.]

This poignant and powerful book shows us that decisions and laws surrounding racial identity and interest were deliberate. Knowing that matters in thinking about race today. [See Prepub Alert, 12/6/18.]

Some readers may need to adjust to the author’s nonchronological approach that nevertheless succeeds brilliantly in conveying the realities of mental illness in a memorable manner. Should be required reading for mental health professionals; essential for all libraries supporting the mental health curriculum.

Thoughtfully addressing harmful stereotypes with personal stories and sociological data, this will help those who choose a nonparenting path articulate their decision and push back against the criticisms leveled at them by family, friends, and strangers alike.

Reminiscent of Sarah Vowell’s work and equally affecting, this intellectually satisfying, personally liberating, and remarkably humorous classic is recommended for readers of women’s history, paganism, witchcraft, and feminism.